Spring assembly



Patented Mar. 16, 1943 SPRING ASSEMBLY David I. Levine, Lynn, Mass., assignor to Lisson- Melen Co., Lynn, Mass., a corporation of Massaclinsetts Application December 24, 1941, semi No. 424,223 1 claim. (ci. s-zvs) This invention relates to a spring assembly for inner-spring mattresses and the like. A spring assembly of this type is illustrated and described in my Patent No. 2,197,131, the present invention representing an improvement over the spring assembly described in that patent.

According to the present invention, instead of pinching the S-shaped loops of the tie-wires described in my Patent No. 2,197,131, in order to grip adjacent elements of individual springs, the loops are secured by means of locking wires which are threaded through the end portions of the loops as hereinafter described.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing of which Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a spring assembly embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectionl on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

'I'he spring assembly comprises a plurality of rows of individual springs I0, these rows being preferably spaced therein as shown. The individual springs in each row are contiguous with the adjacent springs in the same row and are alined with corresponding springs in all of the other rows of the assembly. In Figure 1, the springs are shown horizontal rows, the corresponding alined springs in the several rows being shown in vertical columns. Each spring i is preferably but not necessarily of the well known hour glass" coiled variety, the extreme end portions of each spring being tightly coiled around the second convolution of the spring as at l2 to stiffen the end portions of the springs. As described in my patent hereinbefore referred to. each pair of successive springs in a row have portions of their end coils overlapping. As shown, a portion 20 of one such spring overlaps a portion 22 of the next adjacent spring. The springs in the assembly are joined together by means of tie-wires such as are described in my patent hereinbefore referred to. Each tie-wire comprises substantially straight portions 26 alternating with laterally offset U-shaped loops 30, there being one such loop for each pair of overlapping spring elements 2li and 22. The legs of each loop 30 are reversely bent into an S-shape as indicated in Figure 2 to interweave with the overlapping spring elements 20 and 22. The tiewires are located so that the straight portions 26 underlie the spring elements 2li and 22. The

element 20, then down through the opening between the elements and 22, and then under the element 22 and up again as indicated in Figures 1 and 2. As described in my patent, the end portion 32 of the loop may be bent around the spring element 22 so as to overlie the same and lock the joint formed between the loop 30 and the two springs. According to the present invention, the end portion 32 of each loop is left in an upstanding position and a locking wire 34 may be threaded therethrough. This wire overlies the spring elements 20 and 22 and thus locks the interwoven loop 30 and the spring elements 20 and 22 together.

legs of the loop 30 extend up and over the spring 55 As indicated in Figure 1, a tie-wire is employed between each pair of successive springs and extends to the corresponding pairs of springs alined therewith in the other rows. In order to maintain the loops of these tie-wires in their interwoven relation with the overlapping elements of the springs, locking wires 34 may be supplied for one or more rows of springs, each locking wire extending along one of the rows of springs and being located substantially in the median line of such row so that it bisects the end coils of the springs in that row. Locking wires 34 vare preferably employed in the marginal rows of a spring assembly and in some of the intermediate rows, there being such locking wires on each face of the spring assembly, that is, ateach end of the individual springs. In the drawing a portion of only one face of the assembly is indicated, the description of the elements of this face of the assembly applying equally to the opposite face of the assembly. It is not necessary that the locking wires beprovided for all the rows. For example, a locking wire in every fourth row is amply sufficient to keep all of the springs properly assembled. Such spacing of the locking wires results in economy of material.

The locking wires 34 may extend for the full length of the rows of springs with which they are associated or may be formed in articulated sections as indicated in Figures 1 and 3. Thus the locking wire 34 may consist of a series of sections each having an end portion 38 bent around one of the adjacent overlapping spring elements. The next successive section of the wire 34 likewise has its extremities bent around one of the overlapping spring elements as at 40. 'I'his permits the assembly as a whole to be readily folded, the line of fold being along the tie-wire which intersects the locking wire 34 at such a joint.

Locking wires may be supplied for any number of the rows of the springs. Since each locking wine bisects-the end coils of the springs in its row, it helps to support a pad resting on thesssembly since it reduces themsximum area or the openings between the various elements which make up the top surface of the spring assembly.

It is evident that various modincations and changes maybe made in the embodiments of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as denned in the following claim.

I claim: g

A spring assembly comprising a plurality o! rows ot individual coiled springs. the top coils oithesprlngsincachrowbeinginoverlspping relationship and substantially in a common plane,

tie-wires extending across the assembly trans versely of the rows between successive springs in the seversl rows. each tie-wire consisting of substantially straight portions between the rows and a laterally oii'set, reversely bent,l U-shaped loop at each row, each said loop extending up through the top coil oi' one of said springs, then down through the overlap between said wp coil and the top coil of the next spring, and then up through the last-mentioned top coil to project up above the common plane of the top coils. and a substantially straight locking wire extending along the median of certain of said rows upon thetopcoilsthereoiandthreedingthrough the upstanding ends of the loops in its row.

DAVID I. LEVINE. 

